How this is worked out
Length times width times depth gives the volume, with each length rounded to the nearest sixteenth first. A round area uses pi as 355/113, as Handyman Calc does. Then 5% goes on for compaction, or what you type.
Tons are worked from cubic yards at planning weights suppliers quote: about 1.4 tons a yard for gravel, 1.35 for dry sand and 1.1 for topsoil. Real loads vary with the rock and how wet it is, so if the yard sells by the ton, ask what their material weighs. Bags are the common half cubic foot for gravel and sand and 0.75 cu ft for topsoil, rounded up.
On your phone, on the job site
Handyman Calc, our free app, has this landscape screen for gravel, sand, topsoil and mulch and fourteen more calculators. It works with no signal, and it's free.
▶ Try it in your browser Download on the App Store ▶ Get it on Google Play
Charts worked out with the same math:
- how many bags of concrete a slab takes
- how many sheets of drywall a room takes
- a fraction to decimal chart for inches
- how much paint a room takes
- how much mulch a bed takes
- a roof pitch chart
- how many steps a rise takes
- the diagonal that squares a frame
- board feet for common lumber
More calculators:
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of gravel are in a cubic yard?
About 1.4 tons, the figure landscape suppliers plan with for most gravel; it runs from about 1.3 to 1.5. Wet gravel weighs more, so ask the yard what theirs weighs if you're buying by the ton.
How much gravel do I need for a driveway?
A 50 × 12 ft driveway 4 inches deep takes 7.78 cubic yards with 5% for compaction, about 10.9 tons. Type your own driveway's size above.
How much gravel do I need for a 20x20 area?
5.19 cubic yards at 4 inches deep with 5% extra, which is about 7.3 tons of gravel.
How do you calculate gravel?
Length times width in feet times depth in feet gives cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards, and multiply by about 1.4 for tons of gravel. Add 5% for compaction.
How much does a yard of sand or topsoil weigh?
The calculator uses about 1.35 tons a yard for dry sand and 1.1 for topsoil, the planning figures suppliers quote. Both get heavier when wet.